Conventional ski boot buckles have proven to be very difficult to operate especially under adverse weather conditions. Many types of presently available buckles operate on an overcenter snap arrangement which can result in tightening beyond a desired degree and which can also result in inadvertent snapping open of the buckle under stress conditions. Moreover, the incrementally adjustable positions of present day buckles are fairly coarse so that an optimum comfortable tightening condition is difficult to achieve.
In addition to the foregoing, the sophisticated structure of presently manufactured ski boots wherein fairly stiff boot walls are required for proper foot and ankle support results in considerable strength on the part of the user being required for operating the buckling of the boot. Again, the matter is aggravated after the boots have been in use because of swelling of the feet and the like requiring readjustment of the degree of tightness. As stated, such readjustment under snow conditions is difficult.
Many of the foregoing problems have been resolved by the provision of a ratchet type buckle. This buckle provides a large mechanical advantage to a user and permits incremental tightening of the boot in steps determined by the dimensions of the ratcheting teeth. An example of this prior art type of ratcheting buckle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,435 issued May 16, 1972 to Ivor J. Allsop.
Notwithstanding the foregoing improved ratchet type buckle arrangement for ski boots, there are still major problems involved. First, the ratcheting buckle in general remains coupled to the one side of the front of the ski boot while the ratcheting rack or strip member is coupled to the other side, opening up of the opposed front portions of the boot being accomplished by sliding the ratchet strip free of the buckle portion. This operation can be somewhat of a nuisance since it is then necessary to attempt to feed the free end of the strip back through the buckle in subsequent tightening up of the boot. This necessity of refeeding the strip can be avoided by having the end of the strip designed to remain coupled to the buckle itself but in this situation there is not always assured enough slack when the strip is pulled from the buckle to its extreme position to permit easy putting on and taking off of the boot. It is clearly desirable that any type of buckle arrangement be such that complete separation of the cooperating parts of the buckle can be achieved so that the opposed front portions of the boot may be completely opened for easy entry of the skier's foot.
Second, even though the ratchet teeth of ratchet type buckles can be spaced fairly close together so as to provide a fine degree of incremental adjustment, if the positions are too close, the teeth wear out under high stress.